The present invention relates generally to carts and, more specifically, to transportable handcarts having removable storage and debris transportation containers.
There is a widespread need to facilitate the manual transportation of yard, house, and industrial debris and other materials. As a result, a variety of handcarts have been proposed. With many traditional handcarts, however, the bin or storage space is an integral, undetachable portion of the device; and, thus, the functionality of the device has been restricted. Additionally, with many traditional handcarts, the carts were unable to be effectively placed in a horizontal position to facilitate the insertion and removal of debris and other materials. Moreover, of those cart designs that can be placed in a horizontal position, many do not provide a ramp means for the user""s ease in sweeping, raking, or otherwise sliding the debris or other materials into the cart. Such functionality is desirable so that the user need not lift such debris or other materials into the cart.
In an attempt to overcome some of these noted deficiencies, a number of carts having ramps have been patented. Examples of such devices may be seen with reference to U.S. Pat. No. 2,992,011 to Becan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,303 to Finocchiaro; U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,981 to Brenner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,596 to Douglas; U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,728 to Pravettone; U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,567 to Pravettone; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,277 to Coker.
None of the above handcart devices, however, disclose or teach the novel features of the present invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is readily apparent that a new and improved handcart is needed that has a removable debris bin, a partition for securing the contents within the cart and/or debris bin, multi-position or pivotable handles for facilitating the cart""s maneuverability and function, and that has the capability of being utilized with or without the debris bin. It is further apparent that that a new and improved handcart is needed that has an opening in the partition for providing access to the debris bin, and that has an opening, rearward of the cart, useful for the spreading of granular materials. It is, therefore, to the provision of such an improvement that the present invention is directed.
Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a handcart having a removable debris bin and pivotable handles wherein the cart may be utilized with or without the debris bin, and wherein the cart may be utilized in a vertical or horizontal position.
More specifically, the present invention comprises a cart, a debris bin, a partition, and a ramp. The cart is generally elongated and defined by a first side wall, a second side wall, an end wall, and a bottom wall. Formed at the end distal from the end wall is a ramp portion that serves as a debris sweeping ramp, when the cart is placed in a horizontal position, to allow the sweeping, raking or otherwise sliding of debris or other objects into the cart; thus, eliminating the need to lift the debris from the ground or flooring. The debris bin is generally rectangular-box shaped with an open end. To provide a means for removably securing the debris bin within the cart, recessed areas are formed on the exterior side walls of the debris bin which engage with protrusions formed on the interior of the cart.
To assist in preventing the debris or other contents of the cart from spilling out, a partition is provided that slidably engages within tracks formed on the interior of the cart. These tracks are formed at a position that is proximate to the opening of debris bin, when it is installed within the cart, to serve as a partial lid or cover. When the debris bin is not installed, the partition serves to keep debris and other contents within the cart.
In order to provide access to the debris bin, the partition may be provided with a central opening. Suitably configured, the partition opening may accommodate a soft-sided bin, such as a lawn and garden bag. Suitably configured, the partition further may accommodate a hose, the hose being useful for connection to a lawn and garden vacuum or blower, in order to provide for high speed filling of the bin.
The handles are pivotably connected to the cart to allow not only a multitude of advantaged lifting angles, but also to allow the lifting of the handles such that the handles will not interfere with the loading or unloading of the cart. Two wheels joined by an axle are attached to the bottom of the cart near the end wall to provide a means for easily rolling and maneuvering the cart and its contents. In addition, a plurality of hand holes or recessed areas, dimensioned for receiving a hand, are formed on the cart and the debris bin to facilitate the lifting, lowering, and maneuvering of the present device.
The cart may be provided further with an opening disposed in the rearward wall of the cart, the opening being selectively closeable through a plurality of positions, and being useful for the spreading of granular materials, such as lawn and garden fertilizers, grass seed, or the like, or feedstocks for animals. Channeling means may be provided within the cart to assist in directing such granular materials to the rearward opening.
Thus, an object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart having a removable debris bin.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart that can be utilized with or without the removable debris bin.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart that can be utilized in a vertical or horizontal position.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart having handles that are rotatable such that the handles may be placed in a plurality of positions.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart having a partition for keeping the contents within the cart or debris bin.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart wherein the partition provides an opening for providing access to the removable bin.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart having an angled bottom wall portion which serves as a ramp when the cart is placed in a horizontal position for facilitating the sweeping, raking, or otherwise sliding of debris or other objects into the cart or debris bin.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart having a plurality of wheels to provide a means for moving the cart and its contents.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved handcart having an opening disposed in the rearward wall of the cart, the opening being selectively closeable through a plurality of positions, and being useful for the spreading of granular materials.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description and claims when read in light of the accompanying Figures.